How life has changed in Harborough

Harborough's population increased by about 8,800 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 85,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Harborough increased by 11.5%, from almost 76,600 to 85,400.

The addition of about 8,800 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Harborough was home to, on average, 1 person per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Harborough

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Harborough increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This area had a higher average age than the East Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 3,500 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 2,000.

About 13.0% of people in Harborough are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Harborough by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Harborough residents that were studying increased from 2.3% to 2.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (56.2%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 57.9% in 2001. The percentage of Harborough residents that were unemployed increased from 1.8% to 2.5%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple increased in Harborough, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the East Midlands, except Leicester and Blaby.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple, as the regional average grew from 8.7% to 10.5%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Harborough

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Harborough was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.4 points.

In 2011, 26.4% of respondents in Harborough gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 15.0% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the East Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 16.8% to 29.2%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Harborough, 70.3% said they were Christian, compared with 83.5% in 2001. About 1.4% said they were Hindu, compared with 0.5% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and said they were Sikh increased from 0.3% to 0.8%.

In Harborough, 6.9% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.6% in 2001. Across the East Midlands, 6.8% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population that said they had no religion in Harborough increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, East Midlands and Harborough by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Harborough

The percentage of Harborough residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.8% to 7.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.2% in 2001. The percentage of Harborough residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90.0% to 89.5%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 7.3% in 2001 to 6.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Harborough that rented privately increased from 5.8% to 11.2% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 8.3%, while the percentage of Harborough households that owned their home decreased from 83.5% to 78.1%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 8.5% in 2001 to 14.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Harborough increased by 5.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Harborough, the East Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Harborough working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 16.8% to 13.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.9% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 13.5% in 2001 to 10.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Harborough decreased by 3.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Harborough, the East Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Harborough residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.3% to 3.5% in the decade to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (85.1%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 73.2% in 2001. The percentage of Harborough residents that described their health as fair decreased from 20.6% to 11.4%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 9.4% in 2001 to 5.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Harborough decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Harborough, the East Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Harborough

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Harborough, but at a slower rate than across the East Midlands.

In Harborough, the proportion of single people increased from 23.4% in 2001 to 25.8% in 2011. During the same period, the regional proportion increased from 27.8% to 32.5%.

Across the East Midlands, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27.8% to 32.5%.

The proportion of married people in Harborough fell from 59.8% to 56.3%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 9.4% to 11.0%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across the East Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Harborough

In 2011, 3.0% of Harborough residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 1.2% in 2001. The 1.8 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the East Midlands, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 4.7% to 7.0%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 95.2% of people in Harborough said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 97.9% in 2001. About 1.1% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.6% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.2% to 0.4%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Harborough increased by 1.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Harborough by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Harborough with children decreased from 30.6% to 30.1% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (60.7%) households had no children, compared with 60.0% in 2001. The percentage of households in Harborough with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.4% to 9.3%.

The proportion of households with children fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 29.4% in 2001 to 28.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 29.5% to 29.2%.

The proportion of households with children was higher than across the East Midlands

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the East Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Harborough residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.8% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.8%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the East Midlands (from 2.2% in 2001 to 2.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Harborough remained close to 1.8%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Harborough by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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